Alumni Focus

Concert bands have been a fixture at the National FFA Convention since 1947, when the first official band was selected from FFA member tryouts. But that wasn’t the first band to play at the convention. An FFA band from Fredericktown, Ohio, performed in Kansas City at the fifth convention in 1933. Remarkably, two members of that band are still living – Linden Scheff (pictured above, left) and Neil Overly – and they attended a recent ceremony that recognized Fredericktown as the home of the FFA jacket. Overly, a retired farmer, turned 100 on Nov. 8. Here, he discusses his FFA experience and the [...]

Crowdfunding services like GoFundMe.com and DonorsChoose.org can be useful tools for FFA chapters, but there are a few things to keep in mind when soliciting donations online:1. Explain Take the time to clearly explain why you are requesting money and, if possible, detail how every penny will be used. People, especially strangers, are far more likely to give to your cause when they know exactly how you plan to spend their hard-earned money. 2. Be reasonable Ensure you are asking for a reasonable amount of money to achieve your goals. Most crowdfunding sites give you the option to update your campaign [...]